Summary: AP1 This associate program of PMS-ICBG will characterize the mollusk biodiversity of the Philippines and will provide the animal materials that form the basis of our drug discovery program. The Philippines is one of 25 global hotspots for biodiversity. Mollusks represent a substantial portion of this biodiversity comprising at least 11,000 species that represent 20% of all known marine mollusks and 5% of known terrestrial mollusks. We aim to characterize novel biodiversity and to provide tools to allow species to be readily recognized. This activity will facilitate approaches to conservation and habitat preservation. To achieve these goals, we plan to: 1) Survey mollusks in critical habitats; 2) Support development of museum collections; 3) Create a comprehensive Philippine mollusk species list; 4) Provide training in the Philippines to support systematics and curation activities; 5) Perform phylogenetic analysis of selected mollusk clades.